The international BSC Business Skills Competition organized by Careeria on 20–22 January brought business students and teachers from across Europe to Porvoo: from the Netherlands, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Finland. The students competed in international teams and designed development ideas that would create marketing value for the partner companies of the competition, Bistro Sinne and Vanhan Porvoon Jäätelötehdas. The BSC Business Skills Competition, conducted in English, culminated in a final event on 22 January, where all student teams presented their development ideas. The companies praised the students for the fresh ideas they had produced.
International Networking, Teamwork and Presentation Skills — and Lifelong Memories
The objectives of the BSC Business Skills Competition include promoting European unity, offering intercultural experiences, enhancing language and business skills, encouraging creativity, and providing opportunities for intercultural collaboration. The students looked forward to good discussions, new friends and experiences, as well as learning new things.
The students worked in teams of four, each member representing a different nationality. The teamwork gave them insight into cultural differences and experience in working in English. Through cooperation, the teams developed valuable ideas for the companies and learned about international collaboration. According to Careeria’s students, this kind of international working method was enjoyable, new, and different—although presenting in English in front of an audience was a bit nerve-racking.
During their free time, Careeria’s guests had the opportunity, together with Finnish student colleagues, to explore Porvoo, enjoy sledding, play games, share good food, and form international friendships.
Laura Varis, Careeria’s business teacher and event producer who led the event, was pleased with how successfully the competition was carried out.
– These kinds of international events, where students and teachers participate in real business development situations and encounter different cultures, can open incredible opportunities and give insight into future study and career paths, she summarized.
Companies Gained Ideas from a Youthful Perspective
Both Vanhan Porvoon Jäätelötehdas and Bistro Sinne had four teams each working on development ideas. The teams brainstormed marketing materials, social media content, new ice cream flavors and serving suggestions, as well as themed evenings and events for the restaurant.
Representatives of both companies, Heidi Wirgentius from Vanhan Porvoon Jäätelötehdas and Niko Lehto from Bistro Sinne, were satisfied with the BSC Business Skills Competition. In their feedback, they thanked the student teams for their excellent presentations and innovative ideas, many of which the companies plan to put into practice. In their view, the level of the competition was highly professional.
The competition jury consisted of teachers from the participating institutions, and they too praised the students’ creative ideas and strong work throughout the project. The overall winner of the competition was Team Foreign Minds, which developed several themed evening concepts for Bistro Sinne. In the organizers’ closing words, everyone was ultimately a winner:
“You are all winners.”
BSC Business Skills Competition
A total of 32 students and 18 teachers took part in the international event held by Careeria in Porvoo on 20–22 January. This was already the second BSC Business Skills Competition; the first took place in Grenoble, France, in January 2025, and the event for 2027 is already in planning. The Porvoo competition was organized by Careeria’s business teachers Laura Varis, Michaela Öberg-Westerlund, and Bryan Roberts. The student event, which focuses on marketing skills and interaction, is funded by the Erasmus+ programme.
The event was initiated by the Symposium network, a collaboration among the institutions participating in the Business Skills Competition: Koning Willem I College (Netherlands), Berufskolleg Viersen (Germany), Berufsbildende Schulen Rotenburg (Germany), Škola EU Praha (Czech Republic), Lycée Saint Paul Lens (France), and Careeria, as well as Lycée Philippine Duchesne (France), which organized the first competition.
In connection with the Business Skills Competition, the Symposium network meeting was held at Careeria on 22–23 January. The programme included current topics related to education, strengthening network collaboration, and developing new working methods for the group. The programme for the meeting was coordinated by Careeria experts Niina Törmänen and Jukka Hakala.
